The Tajik Ethnic Group

Tajikistan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. It borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. Most of Tajikistans population belongs to the Tajik ethnic group, who share culture and history with the Iranian peoples and Uzbek people and speak the Tajik language.

Tajikistan International Airlines has weekly flights from Karachi, Delhi and Munich to Dushanbe. Aeroflot flies between Moscow and Dushanbe a few times a week. There are also irregular charter connections from Dushanbe to Aleppo and Abu Dhabi. Theres a railway route from Moscow through Kazakstan and Uzbekistan with a branch line from Tashkent to Dushanbe or Khojand. Daily buses connect Dushanbe with Tashkent and Samarkand.

Visas are not issued at the airport, nor at Tajikistans border crossings. Border controls are rare but there are frequent internal checkpoints, and if you intend moving outside Dushanbe you must have impeccable documents.

Tajikistan is a patchwork of self contained valleys and regional contrasts forged together by Soviet nation building and shared pride in a Persian cultural heritage that is claimed as the oldest and most influential in the Silk Road region.

The Yaghnobi people live in mountainous areas of northern Tajikistan. The estimated number of Yagnobians is now about 250,000. Forced migrations have decimated their numbers. They speak the Yaghnobi language, which has its roots in the Sogdian language.

Tajikistans economy was shattered by the 1992 to97 civil war, but is slowly recovering.

The border with Afghanistan is considered risky for travellers, as are the mined areas bordering Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Despite steady economic growth since the war ended, the per capita GDP is still lower than any of the other former Soviet republics. Tajikistans most important commodities are cotton and aluminium, the latter accounting for 45 percent of the countrys export production. The hydropower potential is also significant. Mineral resources are varied such as gold, silver, uranium, tungsten but limited in amount.

Tajikistans healthcare facilities are often very basic, especially in remote parts of the countries. Travellers should assess the risks and take appropriate precautions before and during their stay.

Lowland Tajikistan veers between extremely hot summers with July days of 42 and extremely chilly winters with an average minimum of 12 in January. From October through May, fierce snowstorms rage in the mountains and the temperature can drop to a demolishing -45, making getting around almost impossible. On the plains, strong dust storms can be expected from June through October.

About the Author

Douglas Scott works for The Rental Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Tajikistan Rental Site

EKC’s Wild Swans Suite for SBS TV (with footage from Uzbekistan’s Silk Road)

Uzbek Silk Embroidery, 19th Century Stretched Canvas Poster Print Decorate your home or office with high quality wall décor. Uzbek Silk Embroidery, 19th Century is that perfect piece that matches your style, interests, and budget….

The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan $15.20 “What if Marco Polo had owned tape recorder?” This intriguing concept is raised in the liner notes to this impressive two-CD set, which wanders along ancient Asian trade routes known as the Silk Road. The first disc, Masters & Traditions, deals with formal styles performed by and for sophisticated connoisseurs. Meanwhile, the music on Minstrels and Lovers is played by amateurs who are part of dail…

Uzbekistan: Heir to the Silk Road $60.00 Since its rediscovery by European explorers and travelers in the nineteenth century, the Silk Road has lost none of its fascination. It continues to evoke images of heavily laden caravans crossing endless deserts, steppes, and mountain ranges to reach the markets of wealthy oasis towns. From the second century BC, this network of merchants’ routes, well over 4,000 miles long, linked China and the …

The Golden Road to Samarkand (Silk Road Travel series) $2.99 Join a group of travellers as they visit Uzbekistan and celebrate Navrus (New Year).Samakand, the centre of Central Asian culture, has the most amazing examples of Islamic architecture.Journey to the ancient walled city of Khiva and spend time at some of most amazing bazaars in Asia.Bokhara, Samarkand and Khiva are the most magical living museums. Come shopping and meet the wonderful people of Uz…